Take a tour of the state's traditional legacy and artisanal products known as Geographical Indication (GI) tagged product:
Leading the country with 44 GI tags and 4 GI logos
As India's Coffee Hub, the state proudly hosts 5 of 7 nationally registered coffee varieties.
Pioneer state to implement artisan & legacy products protection policy (2019), setting national standards.
Mysore leads with 9 GI Tagged Products, making it the GI Hub of Karnataka.
Mysore Silk holds the distinction of being Karnataka's first registered GI.
Mysore Sandal Soap celebrates over 100 years of aromatic excellence.
Dharwad Pedha is the first registered GI in the food segment in India
Karnataka has established itself as a premier exporter in India, attracting investments from international stakeholders
Agricultural GIs
Handicraft GI
GI Logos
Manufactured Goods
Food Stuffs
Discover unique products that define the state's rich heritage and diverse landscapes.
Exclusive to Bidar, 15th century capital town of Bahamani Sultan, bidriware requires a special skill called damascening in silver.
The artisanal work undergoes an eight-stage process: moulding, smoothening with file, designing and engraving with a chisel and hammer, pure silver inlaying, re-smoothening, buffing and finally oxidising with soil and ammonium chloride. Bidriware is oxidised using unique soil only available in Bidar Fort.
Mysore Silk is renowned for its premium quality and lustrous texture, produced by the Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC).
The silk sarees are made from pure mulberry silk, produced by silkworms fed on mulberry leaves. The process involves intricate weaving techniques and often includes pure gold zari work.
The world's only sandalwood oil soap made with pure Mysore sandalwood oil and vegetable oils.
Manufactured by the Government Soap Factory in Bengaluru, this soap has been in production since 1916 and is known for its distinctive fragrance and therapeutic properties.
This variety is found in the elevated mountain range of Baba Budangiri known for its cool climate throughout the year. Cultivated under complete shade at an elevation above 1000 MSL the coffee beans are hand picked and processed through natural fermentation.
The speciality of this coffee is that it exhibits full body, acidity, mild flavor and striking aroma with a note of chocolate.
Grown in the renowned tourist paradise – the ‘Coffee Country of India’, in the Chikkamagaluru district, the Chikkamagaluru Arabica Coffee beans from this region produce a special variety of coffee known for its ‘medium body, light acidity and flavor with medium to intense aroma’.
Coorg Arabica Coffee has its origins in the Kodagu district of Karnataka. This Coffee variety has created a niche for itself, making a dent in the hearts of coffee lovers for its unique blend of aroma and flavour when roasted. The coffees of Coorg region exhibit a ‘pleasant aroma, balanced cup with mild acidity, strong body with a hint of floral note and a dark chocolate aftertaste.’
Monsooned Malabar Coffee is hailed for being one of the finest quality speciality coffees world over, commanding a premium in the global markets for its blending features. Monsooned Malabar coffee gets its name from the Malabar region where it is exclusively grown through a special process (monsooning). Monsooned Malabar Arabica coffee exhibits good body/strength and smoothness.
The Monsooned Malabar Coffee is hailed for being one of the finest quality speciality coffees world over, commanding a premium in the global markets for its blending features. Monsooned Malabar coffee gets its name from the Malabar region where it is exclusively grown through a special process (monsooning). The coffee exhibits good body/strength, mild acidity, rich toned sweeter and mellow taste.
The distinctiveness of Sandur Lambani Embroidery lies in the use of intricate designs and bright colours. It is characterized by the usage of complex appliqué and patch work. The Embroidery is non-figurative and often ornate with accessories such as mirrors, beads, buttons, shells (cowries), coins, small bells, woollen tassels and other metallic trinkets.
The artisanal handcrafted wooden toys from Channapatna have long been popular. Coated in lac with a unique process, the colourful toys have put this small town on the national map.
Pure silk sarees of Molakalmuru mostly belong to Molakalmuru & Kondlalli taluks in Chitradurga. The weaving of pure silk, gold and tested zari is the speciality of Molakalmuru. The uniqueness of the saree is the contrasting colour of the pallu and border.
To obtain these contrasting colours three shuttles are used (2 shuttles for the borders and pallu and 1 shuttle for the body.)
Mysore silk is the oldest and only city in the geographical area manufacturing pure silk sarees and fabrics. The splendour in the fabrics is due to the gold lace in the border, body, pallu with Crepe-dechine or Georgette base fabrics. The products have a unique traditional outlook, drape, lustre, sheen with wash & wear qualities.
Ilkal Sarees, crafted in Karnataka’s Ilkal town and nearby villages, are known for their vibrant colors, achieved by dyeing yarn with Ilkal rivulet water. Their signature ‘Tope Teni’ technique joins the saree’s body and pallu with intricate loops, creating a unique, durable weave that highlights the saree’s traditional charm.
The Udupi Saree, a traditional product from Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, is a handwoven saree renowned for its exceptional dyeing quality and techniques. Made from hank-dyed yarn, the saree’s body is woven with a single yarn, while the border uses a double yarn on frame looms, enhancing its durability and beauty.
Originating from Badami Taluk of Bagalkot district, with a 200 year old history, the Choli (Khana or Blouse) is popularly known as Guledgudd Khana. The production of the traditional Khana fabric goes through various processes, several of which are manual and practiced since generations.
Home to Dharwad district of Karnataka, Kasuti embroidery was historically popular among women, notably those belonging to sculptor's household - engaged in temple construction. A unique feature of this age-old craft is that it has no right or wrong side.
Originating in the ‘Jamkhan Galli’ of Vijayapura, Navalgund Durries is a craft that is now practiced only in Navalgund. There are three types of durries namely Navalgund Jamkhan, Ja-Namaaz and Guddar.The weaves are renowned for their exclusivity marked by a tradition of distinctive craftsmanship.
A traditional craft of Karnataka, Rosewood Inlay is a meticulous process of carving on rich dark rosewood. The craft is practiced mainly in the royal city of Mysuru and was encouraged by the erstwhile Maharajas.
With its historical origins found in the Ajanta and Badami Caves, the Mysore Traditional Paintings received fame and patronage especially during the regime of Krishna Raja Wodayar III. The paintings are usually carried out on paper, cloth or wood, besides water and vegetable colours are used.
Kinhal Toys, a folk/village art form practiced and produced by artisans in Kinhal Village, Ballari and Koppal districts of North Karnataka. The artists primarily paint around themes like Gods and Goddesses of ‘Vaishnavism’ and ‘Shaivism’, animal forms, vegetables, palanquins, etc.
Kolhapuri Chappals are an ethnic product made exclusively from bag tanned vegetable leather. This GI tag is shared by Karnataka and Maharashtra. Spread across Dharwad, Belagavi, Vijayapura and Bagalkot, it is a handmade art with centuries old traditional practices.
With a 300 year history, Ganjifa Cards was revived by Krishnaraja Wodeyar III of Mysuru who was an expert Ganjifa player himself. Also synonymous with God’s play/game, this game is played with cards which have God’s images along with a bunch of precious craft work.
he Bronze casting process in Karnataka has been practiced as a traditional craft for several years. A unique aspect to note is the divisions done for a particular sculpture prior to its making which is very specific to Karnataka and is based on the Shilpashastra.
Oodabatti /Agarbathi also known as incense stick/joss stick is mainly used in places of religious worship. The production largely depends on forest based raw materials like sandal, spent wood dust, white chips, halmaddi, etc. The soil in and around Mysore district produces the best sandalwood oil and hence the agarbathis grown in this region have a unique fragrance unlike those that are made elsewhere.
Due to unique and natural forest conditions prevailing in the Mysore district region, the sandalwood grown has distinctive characteristics and natural aroma with long lasting fragrance. The sandalwood oil produced here is unmatched in purity and quality. It is also known as the liquid gold of Karnataka.
Manufactured since 1916, his Highness Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, the Maharaja of Mysore, set up the Government Soap Factory in Bangalore. Mysore Sandal Soap is the only soap in the world made from 100% pure sandalwood oil. The fragrant sandal soap is woody ochre in colour with an oval shape distinguishing itself from other soaps in the market.
Originating from the Dharwad district in Karnataka, the Dharwad Peda is a unique sweet meat, made of milk and sugar. It has a distinct flavour due to the process in which it is made. It does not perish easily and retains the quality for a period of 20 days.
Explore exceptional crafts that make our state truly special.
Channapatna toys add an artisanal touch to the environment, giving the space a unique character. Flexible forms and dazzling colours add to the versatility of these wooden carvings.
Origin: Channapatna, oldest town located in Ramanagara District in Karnataka, situated on the state highway (60 km) from Bangalore to Mysore.
Uniqueness: Channapatna toys and dolls are made from light wood and coated with lac in various colors. The wood is turned on a lathe while lac sticks are held against it, melting and applying the colors.
Bidriware is a blackened alloy of zinc, copper, and other non-ferrous metals skillfully inlaid with thin sheets of pure silver and gold, making the artistry unique and special.
Origin: Bidriware is a craft exclusive to Bidar, 16th-century capital town of Bahamani Sultan.
Uniqueness: This art was developed during the time of Ahmed Shah Bahamani (1422 A.D – 1436 A.D) — a lover of art and literature, he set up a training center for Bidri workers at Bidar. This art was encouraged by the Nizams. An alloy of zinc, copper, and other non-ferrous metals, the motifs adopted are generally from the fort of Bidar.